“I did my Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering in Zwolle. During my graduation project, I met someone who was studying the Master’s in Embedded Systems at the University of Twente. He explained what the programme was like, why he chose it, and the projects he was working on, and I thought this might be a good fit for me too.
So, why Embedded Systems? I like electrical engineering, but it leans heavily on physics and theory, which isn’t my main interest. Embedded Systems, though, is more about design — exactly what I enjoy. The focus is on what’s between computer science and electrical engineering, like designing a processor and figuring out how it would work in a real-world system.
The ubiquity of embedded systems
Embedded systems are small, powerful computers embedded into a larger device to perform a specific task, often without us even noticing! Imagine a tiny chip controlling how information moves across networks, ensuring your video call is smooth.
These tiny systems are everywhere: for example, in medical equipment at hospitals and in machinery in high-tech industries. They’re not like general-purpose computers; they’re built for one task, and that’s what makes them so interesting to me.
Hands-on learning
There are six mandatory courses in the programme, and beyond that, you have the freedom to pick any courses that interest you. I love this flexibility, though it can be overwhelming for some students. But you can ask the study advisor or programme coordinator to help you if you find it difficult to choose. My electives focus on wireless design, like radar and 5G technology, so I can build expertise in this area.
The projects are my favourite part of the programme. It's great that almost every course has a project component: these assignments keep me motivated. For example, I got hyped about a project where we had to design a functional processor from scratch. Figuring out the logic behind it helped me understand how real-world computing systems work at a basic level, which is important if you’re going to focus on embedded systems or hardware design. Besides, the whole process — learning how everything works inside, designing each part, and testing it — was rewarding.
Embedded systems beyond Earth
For my thesis, I’m designing a system that can run on a chip in space, where protons and neutrons can hit these chips and mess up the data stored on them, causing errors. This isn't an issue on Earth, but in space satellites and other tech can get damaged. So, I’m trying to figure out how this happens and how to prevent it.
After designing the system, I will test it on an actual chip in a lab in Delft: there aren’t other labs like this in the Netherlands. In Delft, they have equipment that can shoot protons and neutrons at the chip to simulate space conditions.
My future
I’m still exploring my career options. I might continue into research, but my thesis also got me excited about the space applications of embedded systems. Companies such as TNO or the European Space Agency are on my list, so I'm going to apply for jobs there and see where this will take me.”
